With the advent of artificial intelligence, the Internet, and avaricious entrepreneurs you may find yourself offered a panacea. The solution to all worldly troubles won’t save you from identity theft, even if you have a monitoring or checking service instituted.

The free identity theft check is done in a following manner:

1. Check your bills, bank statements, and even junk mail for inconsistencies. Too busy? Hire someone to do that for you. But that could be an id theft risk in itself.
2. Check you online accounts for signs of tampering. This includes your credit card and bank accounts, as well as your email, MySpace or FaceBook accounts, and etc.
3. Check your credit report for free at least 3 times a year. Look for inconsistencies in your personal information, derogatory reports, and open accounts (even with good standing). If you do this online you have an opportunity to contest false reports and correct any infractions. All this from the comforts of your home.
4. Go to your local county building to access county records. You can do so via the Internet as well. You will be surprised how much information you can find as it pertains to identity theft. A neighbor of mine found out that someone that stole his identity had warrants issued for his arrest. So if my neighbor was pulled over for a minor speeding infraction, for example, he would go to jail and face charges that didn’t really pertain to him. He thanked me just for this tip alone after reporting identity theft to the police, credit bureaus, and financial institutions he did business with.
5. Check your computer for viruses, spyware, and other malicious code that can heavily contribute to fraud and identity theft. Anti virus and other software can help prevent identity theft.
6. Repeat when done. Add more items on your checklist as you learn to do these six crucial steps to check for fraud and identity theft.

In the end, there may be a service that can check for some identity theft situations, but majority of them are controlled by you; not a machine or another person. I check for identity theft as often as I can and I highly recommend you do the same.

These vague statements are true, but how are you to do all these things? What is identity theft protection? How can I prevent identity theft? Where do I report identity theft? And, how do I clear my credit record from personal identity theft?

These questions are not easy to answer. The main purpose of My Identity Theft Blog is to provide you with in-depth analysis of id theft and fraud, provide you with prevention techniques, help you choose the right identity theft protection services, and assist you with the often lengthy clean up process if you have fallen victim to identity thieves. Each id theft question and topic deserves its own explanation. Thus, it can’t be answered in one session. Subscribe to this identity theft blog to get up-to-date information.

Identity theft scams are rampant both in the real world and online. Bank fraud, credit card theft, and the misuse of social security numbers is often a result of identity theft fraud. Identity theft and identity theft fraud are essentially the same concepts but they are somewhat different. When someone commits identity theft it is usually to steal someone’s information. However, when that someone uses this information for illicit purposes it then becomes fraud. The accepted notion that someone is a victim of identity theft actually means that the criminals have perpetrated illegal transactions using the victims identity, essentially committing fraud.

With the Master Card Secure Code you pick a code only known to you. This code is associated with your credit or debit card that features the MC logo.

The cool thing is that the program is free and allows you to shop online safely, or safer as some might say, at select merchants. Why select merchants? The problem with both the Visa and Master Card services is that it hasn’t been accepted by all online retailers. This is often because the online stores are not aware of the programs. Also, preexisting feuds with the credit card conglomerates may have led online companies to opt-out from participating.

What you can do to protect yourself online is to shop at the Internet stores that use Secure Code. If you found a better deal at a business that doesn’t carry the Master Card Secure Code logo you are still okay to shop, as MasterCard already has protection functions built in the credit card. For more info on that contact your credit card company.

The more you know about identity theft, fraud, and your credit card, the better. I wish you a great day.

Visa corporation has a great tool for those that love to spend their paychecks on online shopping needs like: digital cameras, hiking gear, books, and even groceries. This comes at a great time as identity theft is on the rise. Essentially, the program allows you to register your Visa branded credit card or debit card (check card) in a program that adds an extra layer of security to your credit card.

The free service called Verified by Visa helps prevent unauthorized online use before it happens by confirming your identity with an additional password. I think this is very cool in an effort to prevent and protect you from identity theft and credit card fraud. One caveat is that this is offered at certain online retailers and not all Internet based stores

You may be asking: doesn’t Visa already have security measures in place that will protect me from unauthorized charges? It certainly does. However, it is my opinion that Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express are feeling the pinch as the extent of id theft is reaching record levels each month. Therefore, extra layers of security from identity thieves, hackers, and fraudsters are set in place. I think this is a win win situation and that it is worth the extra effort to protect yourself from the impact of these white collar crimes.

Identity theft is a white collar crime that strikes people in U.S. by the millions annually. Consider that there are about 300 million people living in America. What happens worldwide with id theft is often on a much grander scale. So the first risk of identity theft is the sheer number of victim cases each year. With such a high number of crime perpetration it would seem that you may fall victim before you even know it. Often, that is the case.

Well, that certainly is not a reason that states “why it is really important to secure your identity?”, but the following 7 reasons should give you an idea:

1. Protect yourself from other criminals that may be after much more than your financial status. These may include assassins, murders, rapists, hostage takers, child abductors, and your weird neighbor next door. Identity theft can be a precursor to other crimes that can range from fraud to murder.
2. Perhaps you should protect your credit report score from dwindling into the low hundreds. With a good to great credit score you can enjoy these benefits: lower APRs, higher credit limits, and Titanium level credit card offers. Delightful!
3. Your bank account balance may stay intact if you try to secure your identity through protection and prevention methods.
4. You won’t get phone calls from creditors asking you to pay a $6,000 bill for a lot of new scooters headed for the United Kingdom.
5. You will sleep better at night knowing your identity is secure from theft and your finances are intact.
6. You will save yourself more money by being able to go to work and not miss those important fun times with your family and friends. If you don’t believe me, imagine that it takes an average of 18 moths for someone to clear their good name. The process is lengthy, costly, and very stressful. In some cases this process seems to never end.
7. You won’t have to get a new social security number, id, driver’s license, passport, bank account, credit cards… well, a new identity. The process of regaining ground after an identity theft crime is often a nightmare. Perhaps this should be the strongest reason for you to secure your identity.

There can be many other reasons or interpretations to why is it important to secure yourself from identity theft. If you have any feel free to comment and I hope these are of some help.

Identity theft prevention won’t wait forever
In order to prevent identity theft after denied credit it is essential that you request your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. Consequently, if you are refused credit, insurance, or work you will just have to reach one or all the three major credit bureaus (depending which credit bureau was utilized to verify your credit file at the time of your application). Generally the notification should have the info about how to contact the entity.

Contact info for the “big three” credit report bureaus

Equifax-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com

Experian-888-397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion-800-916-8800
www.transunion.com

A supplementary identity theft prevention incentive for some
Consumers in Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont have complimentary access to their credit information. If you reside in one of these states give thanks to your lawmakers as it is a state law granting consumers the free credit reports. Kudos!

It’s a fact, free credit reports are of assistance in preventing identity theft. You may or may not know it, but the U.S. government mandated that the three leading credit reporting agencies must supply you with a free credit report each year. I believe that this is an enormous first step in putting a stop to personal information theft. There is no awaiting catch and complimentary information regarding your credit file is available to assist you in finding out the information that is on your report. This can’t be anything other than outstanding!

The credit reports are accessible at www.annualcreditreport.com and are prepared by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Putting a stop to identity theft is as casual as a fifteen minute sit-down-session with you and your financial past, present, and future. Make a point to glance over any open, closed, plus derogatory or negative accounts you may possess. Moreover, these credit reporting companies provide online dispute alternatives just in case there are a number of prohibited errors in your file.

Remember, preventing personal identity theft is not like going to the dentist. Though clearing your good name after identity theft strikes is like descending from an airplane without a parachute. If this is your initial time viewing your complimentary credit report you’ll in all likelihood find it habit-forming to check it every 4 months, more or less. How come every four months? It is my belief that it is more beneficial to exhaust your free credit reports once per 4 months so as to you can better keep an eye on your credit more frequently, rather than, only once a year by running through all three of them. One more thing… there is no particular report you have to begin with, however make an effort not to procrastinate in viewing it.